—Swords may not be the weapon of choice for many people nowadays, with more advanced weaponry readily available, but that doesn't stop some from continuing to work as bladesmiths. "Forged in Fire" tests some of the best in the field as they attempt to re-create some of history's most iconic edged weapons. Former Green Beret Grady Powell hosts the competition series that sees four master bladesmiths challenged in each episode to forge the swords, which are then tested by a panel of judges consisting of J. Neilson, who has been making knives for more than 20 years, hand-to-hand combat specialist Doug Marcaida, and David Baker, an authority on replicating period-accurate weaponry. The contestant who survives the elimination rounds and wins the episode's contest earns a cash prize and the title of "Forged in Fire" champion.

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Season 539 of 39 Episodes

Five novice smiths must earn their way into the competition because one smith will be sent home before the forge lights up; the two left standing must re-create a 16th-century weapon known as the War Golok.
The bladesmiths begin on a farm where they must harvest steel from farming tools, then use coal forges to make their signature blades with a hidden lanyard hole; the two remaining smiths must recreate the Schiavona.
The smiths must forge a signature blade out of a 50-caliber flintlock pistol; despite giving it their best shot, it becomes a struggle to turn a gun into a blade and after two grueling rounds, two smiths get sent barreling towards elimination.
Smiths must forge functional friction folders and find the critical junction where skill meets resiliency; two finalists must re-create a Japanese trident called the Jumonji Yari, a weapon of unparalleled strength.
The bladesmiths are challenged to salvage a cannon to make signature blades; the finalists recreate the North African Kabyle Flyssa, a blade traditionally used to break mail armor.
Four master smiths compete alongside their apprentices to forge an iconic weapon of warfare: the trench knife; each team must work together, tagging in and out every half hour, with only one smith allowed to touch the knife at a time.
Four bladesmiths must kick their skills into gear when they're tasked with forging blades out of steel from a chain and a sprocket; only two hold it together long enough to secure a spot in the final round; the iconic Karabela saber.
Four bladesmiths must forge J. Nielson's favorite blade, a Damascus European dagger; two smiths produce knives that survive J.'s merciless tests; in the final round, the remaining smiths have five days to forge a pole weapon: the Zande Spear.
Four bladesmiths test their mettle in a rock quarry, where they're tasked with making blades using harvested steel and coal forges; the smiths construct a blade while fighting the elements; the remaining two smiths must re-create the Spanish Navaja.
The smiths come under pressure when tasked with forging Dave Baker's favorite blade, the Scottish Dirk; two smiths head home for the final round to re-create the German Halberd, a medieval-era triple threat.
The bladesmiths are forced to harvest steel from motorcycles to forge blades in their signature style; after an intense race to the finish, the final two competitors have only five days to re-create a giant Indian two-handed sword.
The bladesmiths, all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, dive into the fray when they are tasked with forging a combat knife from an anti-tank hedgehog; two grueling rounds of competition filled with frustration and a medical emergency.
A signature blade must be forged from small springs of steel; major setbacks occur that need to be corrected before time runs out; two smiths must recreate the deadly Horseman's Axe.
Four bladesmiths must craft a hatchet from pieces of odd-shaped steel; after several forging failures, parameter mishaps, and intense conditions, only two smiths head back to their home forges, where they must re-create the deadly Maasai Lion Spear.
The smiths make their signature blades out of drill bits and a chunk of mild steel; after two rounds, two smiths survive the chopping block and are sent back to their home forges to re-create a beautiful but deadly Indonesian sword, the Kelewang.
The bladesmiths are forced to make canister Damascus using nuts and bolts; two smiths move onto the final round where they must re-create a pair of deadly Indian Bagh Nakh weapons.
Four smiths are tasked with forging the iconic KA-BAR military blade using only tiny cubes of W-1 steel; the two remaining competitors have five days in their home forges to recreate the battle-tested Glaive Guisarme.
Four smiths must forge a multipurpose weapon from old rescue tools; after narrowly escaping elimination, two smiths head back to their home forges to recreate a unique utilitarian tool, the Russian Pioneer Sword.
Four bladesmiths are tasked with forging a signature blade from a bicycle; two smiths advance and are shocked to learn that they must re-create an ancient, mysterious weapon called wind and fire wheels.
Four bladesmiths are tasked with forging friction folders from a huge steel coil; in the final round, the two remaining smiths head back to their home forges to create a blade that requires both precision and detail: the French smallsword.
Four bladesmiths are tasked with forging a signature blade from W2 and a giant industrial-sized nut; only two smiths advance and head back to their home forges to re-create the Celtic anthropomorphic sword, an iconic ancient iron weapon.
Four bladesmiths must create their signature blade out of a massive ball bearing; a series first; two smiths persevere and return to their home forges, where they must re-create one of the Ottoman Empire's most lethal sabres: the Kilij.
Four bladesmiths are taken out of the forge and transported to the great outdoors, where they struggle to forge a blade in the noonday sun; they must forage for outdoor materials and crank a coal forge, which leaves some scrambling to the end.
Four bladesmiths must forge not just one, but three knives from railroad spikes in only three hours; the remaining two competitors return home to re-create the iconic Medieval Arming Sword.
Four bladesmiths must forge a fully functional serrated knife using steel from hand scissors; the remaining two competitors return to their home forges to create a unique and challenging weapon from history: the Sengese.
Four bladesmiths take a shot at forging a signature blade from the steel rings of a whiskey barrel; the final two smiths head home to forge an instrument of Chinese warfare: the Qinglong Ji.
Four bladesmiths pay homage to Hollywood; a survival knife; the final two smiths return home to re-create one of the most famous swords in cinematic history: Hattori Hanzo's 1,000-layer katana from Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill."
The bladesmiths are tasked with creating a signature Damascus blade out of three different steels of different thicknesses; the two final competitors re-create one of the most intricate weapons in show history: the steel crossbow.
Four bladesmiths must craft a signature blade from a massive piece of elevator cable; the final two competitors return home to re-create a sword wielded by some of history's fiercest soldiers: the Two-Handed Landsknecht Sword.
Four bladesmiths are tasked with creating a san mai blade from horseshoes and hoof rasps; the remaining two bladesmiths return to their home forges to create a famed weapon of the English Civil War: the mortuary sword.
Four bladesmiths must forge a Damascus blade out of something familiar: plate armor; the remaining two bladesmiths head back to their home forges to craft an exotic hybrid of pain and protection: the Hooded Katar.
Four bladesmiths must forge a signature Damascus blade using steel from tools; the smiths that survive two brutal rounds of testing return to their home forges to recreate a multipurpose Medieval weapon of war: the Knightly Poleaxe.
Four bladesmiths must harvest materials from a metal sculpture to forge a needle point Damascus blade; the remaining smiths return to their own home forges to re-create a sword from the elite classes of Renaissance Europe: the Flamberge Rapier.
In the final round of the Invitational Tournament, the winning farrier, armorer, blacksmith and modern metalworker face off to forge a wakizashi; the two finalists must then re-create the nodachi, one of the largest Japanese swords.
Four bladesmiths must create signature slasher blades, each using a different type of metal; the two finalists return to their home forges to re-create the Grim Reaper's scythe.
Four bladesmiths are tasked with forging a Crusader's dagger from a thick rod of W1 steel; the final two smiths must create Robin Hood's steel takedown bow.
Four bladesmiths must build coal forges using materials scavenged from a storage unit and forge signature blades without any power tools; the remaining two smiths return home to recreate a bardiche, a brutal European pole axe.
Four bladesmiths are challenged with forging a canister Damascus knife using only steel wool and 1095 powder; the final two head home to re-create an important weapon from North American history - the pipe tomahawk.
Four bladesmiths must each forge judge Ben Abbott's favorite blade, the Celtic ring knife, using the san mai technique; the final two competitors return to their home forges to re-create Irish ring hilted swords.

Four blade smiths face grueling challenges when the electricity and power tools are taken away from them; only two will survive and move on to the final round where they'll have just five days to create the iconic Scottish Claymore.
Upcoming
Competitors make their signature blade by using the Hada technique, a traditional process that involves forging multiple layers of steel together.
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Four bladesmiths take an ordinary garden lawnmower and use its metal to create one of their signature blades; two will make it to the final round during which they must forge a Tabar, a battle-ax from Southern Asia.
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Following a difficult first round of testing, the remaining two bladesmiths head home with only five days to forge the legendary Crusader Sword.
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In a race against time, four bladesmiths have to salvage material from a car and forge a blade; two will make it to the final round where they will have just five days to create a Viking sword.
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The bladesmiths have to use an age-old technique to make their signature weapons; two finalists head to their home forges to create one of history's most notorious weapons, the rapier.
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Swords may not be the weapon of choice for many people nowadays, with more advanced weaponry readily available, but that doesn't stop some from continuing to work as bladesmiths. "Forged in Fire" tests some of the best in the field as they attempt to re-create some of history's most iconic edged weapons. Former Green Beret Grady Powell hosts the competition series that sees four master bladesmiths challenged in each episode to forge the swords, which are then tested by a panel of judges consisting of J. Neilson, who has been making knives for more than 20 years, hand-to-hand combat specialist Doug Marcaida, and David Baker, an authority on replicating period-accurate weaponry. The contestant who survives the elimination rounds and wins the episode's contest earns a cash prize and the title of "Forged in Fire" champion.

Grady Powell, J. Neilson, Doug Marcaida, David Baker, Ben Abbott, Wil Willis, Jason Knight

Live

The bladesmiths have to use an age-old technique to make their signature weapons; two finalists head to their home forges to create one of history's most notorious weapons, the rapier.

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Forged in Fire

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